THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS, OR ACTS OF PILATE

From "The Apocryphal New Testament"

M.R. James-Translation and Notes
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924

Introduction

We have as yet no true critical edition of this book: one is in preparation, by E. von
Dobschutz, to be included in the Berlin corpus of Greek Ante-Nicene Christian writers. A
short statement of the authorities available at this moment is therefore necessary.

Tischendorf in his Evangelia Apocrypha divides the whole writing into two parts: (1) the
story of the Passion; (2) the Descent into hell; and prints the following forms of each: six
in all:

1. Part I, Recession A in Greek from eight manuscripts, and a Latin translation of the
Coptic version in the notes.

2. Part I, Recession B in Greek from three late manuscripts.

3. Part II (Descent into Hell) in Greek from three manuscripts.

4. Part I in Latin, using twelve manuscripts, and some old editions.

5. Part II in Latin (A) from four manuscripts.

6. Part II in Latin (B) from three manuscripts.

Tischendorf's must be described as an eclectic text not representing probably, any one
single line of transmission: but it presents the book in a readable, and doubtless, on the
whole, correct form.

There are, besides the Latin, three ancient versions of Part I of considerable importance,
viz.:

Coptic, preserved in an early papyrus at Turin, and in some fragments at Paris. Last
edited by Revillout in Patrologia orientalis, ix. 2.

Syriac, edited by Rahmaui in Studia Syriaca, II.

Armenian, edited by F. C. Conybeara in Studia Biblica, IV (Oxford, 1896): he gives a

Greek rendering of one manuscript and a Latin one of another.
All of these conform to Tischelldorf's Recession A of Part I: and this must be regarded as
the most original form of the Acta which we have. Recession B is a late and diffuse
working-over of the same matter: it will not be translated here in full.

The first part of the book, containing the story of the Passion and Resurrection, is not
earlier than the fourth century. Its object in the main is to furnish irrefragable testimony
to the resurrection. Attempts have been made to show that it is of early date-that it is, for
instance, the writing which Justin Martyr meant when in his Apology he referred his
heathen readers to the 'Acts' of Christ's trial preserved among the archives of Rome. The
truth of that matter is that he simply assumed that such records must exist. False 'acts' of
the trial were written in the Pagan interest under Maximin, and introduced into schools
early in the fourth century. It is imagined by some that our book was a counterblast to
these.

The account of the Descent into Hell (Part II) is an addition to the Acta. It does not
appear in any Oriental version, and the Greek copies are rare. It is in Latin that it has
chiefly flourished, and has been the parent of versions in every European language.

The central idea, the delivery of the righteous fathers from Hades is exceedingly ancient.
Second-century writers are full of it. The embellishments, the dialogues of Satan with
Hades, which are so dramatic, come in later, perhaps with the development of pulpit
oratory among Christians. We find them in fourth-century homilies attributed to Eusebius
of Emesa.

This second part used to be called Gnostic, but there is nothing unorthodox about it save
the choice of the names of the two men who are supposed to tell the story, viz. Leucius
and Karinus. Leucius Charinus is the name given by church writers to the supposed
author of the Apocryphal Acts of John, Paul, Peter, Andrew, and Thomas. In reality
Leucius was the soi-disant author of the Acts of John only. His name was transferred to
the other Acts in process of time, and also (sometimes disguised as Seleucus) to Gospels
of the Infancy and narratives of the Assumption of the Virgin, With all these the original
Leucius had nothing to do. When his name came to be attached to the Descent into Hell
we do not yet know: nor do we know when the Descent was first appended to the Acts of
Pilate. Not, I should conjecture, before the fifth century.

MEMORIALS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DONE IN THE TIME OF PONTIUS

PILATE

Prologue

(Absent from some manuscripts and versions).

I Ananias (Aeneas Copt., Emaus Lat.), the Protector, of praetorian rank, learned in the
law, did from the divine scriptures recognize our Lord Jesus Christ and came near to him
by faith and was accounted worthy of holy baptism: and I sought out the memorials that
were made at that season in the time of our master Jesus Christ, which the Jews deposited
with Pontius Pilate, and found the memorials in Hebrew (letters), and by the good
pleasure of God I translated them into Greek (letters) for the informing of all them that
call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: in the reign of our Lord Flavius Theodosius,
in the seventeenth year, and of Flavius Valentinianus the sixth, in the ninth indiction
[corrupt: Lat. has the eighteenth year of Theodosius, when Valentinian was proclaimed
Augustus, i. e. A. D. 425].

All ye therefore that read this and translate (or copy) it into other books, remember me
and pray for me that God will be gracious unto me and be merciful unto my sins which I
have sinned against him.

Peace be to them that read and that hear these things and to their servants. Amen.

In the fifteenth (al. nineteenth) year of the governance of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the
Romans, and of Herod, king of Galilee, in the nineteenth year of his rule, on the eighth of
the Calends of April, which is the 25th of March, in the consulate of Rufus and Rubellio,
in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, Joseph who is Caiaphas
being high priest of the Jews:

These be the things which after the cross and passion of the Lord Nicodemus recorded
and delivered unto the high priest and the rest of the Jews: and the same Nicodemus set
them forth in Hebrew (letters).

1 For the chief priests and scribes assembled in council, even Annas and Caiaphas and
Somne (Senes) and Dothaim (Dothael, Dathaes, Datam) and Gamaliel, Judas, Levi and
Nepthalim, Alexander and Jairus and the rest of the Jews, and came unto Pilate accusing
Jesus for many deeds, saying: We know this man, that he is the son of Joseph the
carpenter, begotten of Mary, and he saith that he is the Son of God and a king; more-over
he doth pollute the sabbaths and he would destroy the law of our fathers.

Pilate saith: And what things are they that he doeth, and would destroy the law?

The Jews say: We have a law that we should not heal any man on the sabbath: but this
man of his evil deeds hath healed the lame and the bent, the withered and the blind and
the paralytic, the dumb and them that were possessed, on the sabbath day!

Pilate saith unto them: By what evil deeds?

They say unto him: He is a sorcerer, and by Beelzebub the prince of the devils he casteth
out devils, and they are all subject unto him.
Pilate saith unto them: This is not to cast out devils by an unclean spirit, but by the god
Asclepius.

2 The Jews say unto Pilate: We beseech thy majesty that he appear before thy judgement-
seat and be heard. And Pilate called them unto him and said: Tell me, how can I that am a
governor examine a king? They say unto him: We say not that he is a king, but he saith it
of himself.

And Pilate called the messenger (cursor) and said unto him: Let Jesus be brought hither,
but with gentleness. And the messenger went forth, and when he perceived Jesus he
worshipped him and took the kerchief that was on his hand and spread it upon the earth
and saith unto him: Lord, walk hereon and enter in, for the governor calleth thee. And
when the Jews saw what the messenger had done, they cried out against Pilate saying:
Wherefore didst thou not summon him by an herald to enter in, but by a messenger? for
the messenger when he saw him worshipped him and spread out his kerchief upon the
ground and hath made him walk upon it like a king!

3 Then Pilate called for the messenger and said unto him: Wherefore hast thou done this,
and hast spread thy kerchief upon the ground and made Jesus to walk upon it? The
messenger saith unto him: Lord governor, when thou sentest me to Jerusalem unto
Alexander, I saw Jesus sitting upon an ass, and the children of the Hebrews held branches
in their hands and cried out, and others spread their garments beneath him, saying: Save
now, thou that art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

4 The Jews cried out and said unto the messenger: The children of the Hebrews cried out
in Hebrew: how then hast thou it in the Greek? The messenger saith to them: I did ask
one of the Jews and said: What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? and he interpreted it
unto me.

Pilate saith unto them: And how cried they in Hebrew? The Jews say unto him: Hosanna
membrome barouchamma adonai. Pilate saith unto them: And the Hosanna and the rest,
how is it interpreted? The Jews say unto him: Save now, thou that art in the highest:
blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Pilate saith unto them: If you
yourselves bear witness of the words which were said of the children, wherein hath the
messenger sinned? and they held their peace.

The governor saith unto the messenger: Go forth and bring him in after what manner thou
wilt. And the messenger went forth and did after the former manner and said unto Jesus:
Lord, enter in: the governor calleth thee.

5 Now when Jesus entered in, and the ensigns were holding the standards, the images
(busts) of the standards bowed and did reverence to Jesus. And when the Jews saw the
carriage of the standards, how they bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus, they
cried out above measure against the ensigns. But Pilate said unto the Jews: Marvel ye not
that the images bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus. The Jews say unto
Pilate: We saw how the ensigns made them to bow and did reverence to him. And the
governor called for the ensigns and saith unto them: Wherefore did ye so? They say unto
Pilate: We are Greeks and servers of temples, and how could we do him reverence? for
indeed, whilst we held the images they bowed of themselves and did reverence unto him.

6 Then saith Pilate unto the rulers of the synagogue and the elders of the people: Choose
you out able and strong men and let them hold the standards, and let us see if they bow of
themselves. And the elders of the Jews took twelve men strong and able and made them
to hold the standards by sixes, and they were set before the judgement-seat of the
governor; and Pilate said to the messenger: Take him out of the judgement hall
(praetorium) and bring him in again after what manner thou wilt. And Jesus went out of
the judgement hall, he and the messenger. And Pilate called unto him them that before
held the image and said unto them: I have sworn by the safety of Caesar that if the
standards bow not when Jesus entereth in, I will cut off your heads.

And the governor commanded Jesus to enter in the second time. And the messenger did
after the former manner and besought Jesus much that he would walk upon his kerchief;
and he walked upon it and entered in. And when he had entered, the standards bowed
themselves again and did reverence unto Jesus.

II

1 Now when Pilate saw it he was afraid, and sought to rise up from the judgement-seat.
And while he yet thought to rise up, his wife sent unto him, saying: Have thou nothing to
do with this just man, for I have suffered many things because of him by night. And
Pilate called unto him all the Jews, and said unto them: Ye know that my wife feareth
God and favoureth rather the customs of the Jews, with you? They say unto him: Yea, we
know it. Pilate saith unto them: Lo, my wife hath sent unto me, saying: Have thou
nothing to do with this just man: for I have suffered many things because of him by night.
But the Jews answered and said unto Pilate: Said we not unto thee that he is a sorcerer?
behold, he hath sent a vision of a dream unto thy wife.

2 And Pilate called Jesus unto him and said to him: What is it that these witness against
thee? speakest thou nothing? But Jesus said: If they had not had power they would have
spoken nothing; for every man hath power over his own mouth, to speak good or evil:
they shall see to it.

3 The elders of the Jews answered and said unto Jesus: What shall we see? Firstly, that
thou wast born of fornication; secondly, that thy birth in Bethlehem was the cause of the
slaying of children; thirdly, that thy father Joseph and thy mother Mary fled into Egypt
because they had no confidence before the people.

4 Then said certain of them that stood by, devout men of the Jews: We say not that he
came of fornication; but we know that Joseph was betrothed unto Mary, and he was not
born of fornication. Pilate saith unto those Jews which said that he came of fornication:
This your saying is not true for there were espousals, as these also say which are of your
nation. Annas and Caiaphas say unto Pilate: The whole multitude of us cry out that he
was born of fornication, and we are not believed: but these are proselytes and disciples of
his. And Pilate called Annas and Caiaphas unto him and said to them: What be
proselytes? They say unto him: They were born children of Greeks, and now are they
become Jews. Then said they which said l that he was not born of fornication, even
Lazarus, Asterius, Antonius, Jacob, Amnes, Zenas, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus,
Agrippa and Judas: We were not born proselytes (are not Greeks, Copt.), but we are
children of Jews and we speak the truth; for verily we were present at the espousals of
Joseph and Mary.

5 And Pilate called unto him those twelve men which said that he was not born of
fornication, and saith unto them: I adjure you by the safety of Caesar, are these things
true which ye have said, that he was not born of fornication? They say unto Pilate: We
have a law that we swear not, because it is sin: But let them swear by the safety of Caesar
that it is not as we have said, and we will be guilty of death. Pilate saith to Annas and
Caiaphas: Answer ye nothing to these things? Annas and Caiaphas say unto Pilate: These
twelve men are believed which say that he was not born of fornication, but the whole
multitude of us cry out that he was born of fornication, and is a sorcerer, and saith that he
is the Son of God and a king, and we are not believed.

6 And Pilate commanded the whole multitude to go out, saving the twelve men which
said that he was not born of fornication and he commanded Jesus to be set apart: and
Pilate saith unto them: For what cause do they desire to put him to death? They say unto
Pilate: They have jealousy, because he healeth on the sabbath day. Pilate saith: For a
good work do they desire to put him to death? They say unto him: Yea.

III

1 And Pilate was filled with indignation and went forth without the judgement hall and
saith unto them: I call the Sun to witness that I find no fault in this man. The Jews
answered and said to the governor: If this man were not a malefactor we would not have
delivered him unto thee. And Pilate said: Take ye him and judge him according to your
law. The Jews said unto Pilate: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Pilate said:
Hath God forbidden you to slay, and allowed me?

2 And Pilate went in again into the judgement hall and called Jesus apart and said unto
him: Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered and said to Pilate: Sayest thou this
thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered Jesus: Am I also a Jew?
thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world; for if my kingdom were of this world,
my servants would have striven that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my
kingdom not from hence. Pilate said unto him: Art thou a king, then? Jesus answered
him: Thou sayest that I am a king; for this cause was I born and am come, that every one
that is of the truth should hear my voice. Pilate saith unto him: What is truth? Jesus saith
unto him: Truth is of heaven. Pilate saith: Is there not truth upon earth? Jesus saith unto
Pilate: Thou seest how that they which speak the truth are judged of them that have
authority upon earth.
IV

1 And Pilate left Jesus in the judgement hall and went forth to the Jews and said unto
them: I find no fault in him. The Jews say unto him: This man said: I am able to destroy
this temple and in three days to build it up. Pilate saith: What temple? The Jews say: That
which Solomon built in forty and six years but which this man saith he will destroy and
build it in three days. Pilate saith unto them: I am guiltless of the blood of this just man:
see ye to it. The Jews say: His blood be upon us and on our children.

2 And Pilate called the elders and the priests and Levites unto him and said to them
secretly: Do not so: for there is nothing worthy of death whereof ye have accused him,
for your accusation is concerning healing and profaning of the sabbath. The elders and
the priests and Levites say: If a man blaspheme against Caesar, is he worthy of death or
no? Pilate saith: He is worthy of death. The Jews say unto Pilate: If a man be worthy of
death if he blaspheme against Caesar, this man hath blasphemed against God.

3 Then the governor commanded all the Jews to go out from the judgement hall, and he
called Jesus to him and saith unto him: What shall I do with thee? Jesus saith unto Pilate:
Do as it hath been given thee. Pilate saith: How hath it been given? Jesus saith: Moses
and the prophets did foretell concerning my death and rising again. Now the Jews
inquired by stealth and heard, and they say unto Pilate: What needest thou to hear further
of this blasphemy? Pilate saith unto the Jews: If this word be of blasphemy, take ye him
for his blasphemy, and bring him into your synagogue and judge him according to your
law. The Jews say unto Pilate: It is contained in our law, that if a man sin against a man,
he is worthy to receive forty stripes save one: but he that blasphemeth against God, that
he should be stoned with stoning.

4 Pilate saith unto them: Take ye him and avenge yourselves of him in what manner ye
will. The Jews say unto Pilate: We will that he be crucified. Pilate saith: He deserveth not
to be crucified.

5 Now as the governor looked round about upon the multitude of the Jews which stood
by, he beheld many of the Jews weeping, and said: Not all the multitude desire that he
should be put to death. The elder of the Jews said: To this end have the whole multitude
of us come Hither, that he should be put to death. Pilate saith to the Jews: Wherefore
should he die? The Jews said: Because he called himself the Son of God, and a king.

1 But a certain man, Nicodemus, a Jew, came and stood before the governor and said: I
beseech thee, good (pious) lord, bid me speak a few words. Pilate saith: Say on.
Nicodemus saith: I said unto the elders and the priests and Levites and unto all the
multitude of the Jews in the synagogue: Wherefore contend ye with this man? This man
doeth many and wonderful signs, which no man hath done, neither will do: let him alone
and contrive not any evil against him: if the signs which he doeth are of God, they will
stand, but if they be of men, they will come to nought. For verily Moses, when he was
sent of God into Egypt did many signs, which God commanded him to do before
Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and there were there certain men servants of Pharaoh, Jannes and
Jambres, and they also did signs not a few, of them which Moses did, and the Egyptians
held them as gods, even Jannes and Jambres: and whereas the signs which they did were
not of God, they perished and those also that believed on them. And now let this man go,
for he is not worthy of death.

2 The Jews say unto Nicodemus: Thou didst become his disciple and thou speakest on his
behalf. Nicodemus saith unto them: Is the governor also become his disciple, that he
speaketh on his behalf? did not Caesar appoint him unto this dignity? And the Jews were
raging and gnashing their teeth against Nicodemus. Pilate saith unto them: Wherefore
gnash ye your teeth against him, wherens ye have heard the truth? The Jews say unto
Nicodemus: Mayest thou receive his truth and his portion. Nicodemus saith: Amen,
Amen: may I receive it as ye have said.

VI

1 Now one of the Jews came forward and besought the governor that he might speak a
word. The governor saith: If thou wilt say aught, speak on. And the Jew said: Thirty and
eight years lay I on a bed in suffering of pains, and at the coming of Jesus many that were
possessed and laid with divers diseases were healed by him, and certain (faithful) young
men took pity on me and carried me with my bed and brought me unto him; and when
Jesus saw me he had compassion, and spake a word unto me: Take up thy bed and walk.
And I took up my bed and walked. The Jews say unto Pilate: Ask of him what day it was
whereon he was healed? He that was healed saith: On the sabbath. The Jews say: Did we
not inform thee so, that upon the sabbath he healeth and casteth out devils?

2 And another Jew came forward and said: I was born blind: I heard words but I saw no
man's face: and as Jesus passed by I cried with a loud voice: Have mercy on me, O son of
David. And he took pity on me and put his hands upon mine eyes and I received sight
immediately. And another Jew came forward and said: I was bowed and he made me
straight with a word. And another said: I was a leper, and he healed me with a word.

VII

And a certain woman named Bernice (Beronice Copt., Veronica Lat.) crying out from
afar off said: I had an issue of blood and touched the hem of his garment, and the flowing
of my blood was stayed which I had twelve years. The Jews say: We have a law that a
woman shall not come to give testimony.

VIII

And certain others, even a multitude both of men and women cried out, saying: This man
is a prophet and the devils are subject unto him. Pilate saith to them which said: The
devils are subject unto him: Wherefore were not your teachers also subject unto him?
They say unto Pilate: We know not. Others also said: He raised up Lazarus which was
dead out of his tomb after four days. And the governor was afraid and said unto all the
multitude of the Jews: Wherefore will ye shed innocent blood?

IX

1 And he called unto him Nicodemus and those twelve men which said that he was not
born of fornication, and said unto them: What shall I do, for there riseth sedition among
the people? They say unto him: We know not, let them see to it. Again Pilate called for
all the multitude of the Jews and saith: Ye know that ye have a custom that at the feast of
unleavened bread I should release unto you a prisoner. Now I have a prisoner under
condemnation in the prison, a murderer, Barabbas by name, and this Jesus also which
standeth before you, in whom I find no fault: Whom will ye that I release unto you? But
they cried out: Barabbas. Pilate saith: What shall I do then with Jesus who is called
Christ? The Jews say: Let him be crucified. But certain of the Jews answered: Thou art
not a friend of Caesar's if thou let this man go; for he called himself the Son of God and a
king: thou wilt therefore have him for king, and not Caesar.

2 And Pilate was wroth and said unto the Jews: Your nation is always seditious and ye
rebel against your benefactors. The Jews say: Against what benefactors? Pilate saith:
According as I have heard, your God brought you out of Egypt out of hard bondage, and
led you safe through the sea as by dry land, and in the wilderness he nourished you with
manna and gave you quails, and gave you water to drink out of a rock, and gave unto you
a law. And in all these things ye provoked your God to anger, and sought out a molten
calf, and angered your God and he sought to slay you: and Moses made supplication for
you and ye were not put to death. And now ye do accuse me that I hate the king
(emperor).

3 And he rose up from the judgement-seat and sought to go forth. And the Jews cried out,
saying: We know our king, even Caesar and not Jesus. For indeed the wise men brought
gifts from the east unto him as unto a king, and when Herod heard from the wise men that
a king was born, he sought to slay him, and when his father Joseph knew that, he took
him and his mother and they fled into Egypt. And when Herod heard it he destroyed the
children of the Hebrews that were born in Bethlehem.

4 And when Pilate heard these words he was afraid. And Pilate silenced the multitude,
because they cried still, and said unto them: So, then, this is he whom Herod sought? The
Jews say: Yea, this is he. And Pilate took water and washed his hands before the sun,
saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man: see ye to it. Again the Jews cried out:
His blood be upon us and upon our children.

5 Then Pilate commanded the veil to be drawn before the judgement-seat whereon he sat,
and saith unto Jesus: Thy nation hath convicted thee (accused thee) as being a king:
therefore have I decreed that thou shouldest first be scourged according to the law of the
pious emperors, and thereafter hanged upon the cross in the garden wherein thou wast
taken: and let Dysmas and Gestas the two malefactors be crucified with thee.
X

1 And Jesus went forth of the judgement hall and the two malefactors with him. And
when they were come to the place they stripped him of his garments and girt him with a
linen cloth and put a crown of thorns about his head: likewise also they hanged up the
two malefactors. But Jesus said: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
And the soldiers divided his garments among them.

And the people stood looking upon him, and the chief priests and the rulers with them
derided him, saying: He saved others let him save himself: if he be the son of God [let
him come down from the cross]. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering
him vinegar with gall; and they said: If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.

And Pilate after the sentence commanded his accusation to be written for a title in letters
of Greek and Latin and Hebrew according to the saying of the Jews: that he was the King
of the Jews.

2 And one of the malefactors that were hanged [by name Gestas] spake unto him, saying:
If thou be the Christ, save thyself, and us. But Dysmas answering rebuked him, saying:
Dost thou not at all fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? and we indeed
justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss.
And he said unto Jesus: Remember me, Lord, in thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him:
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that today thou shalt be (art) with me in paradise.

XI

1 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the land until the ninth
hour, for the sun was darkened: and the veil of the temple was rent asunder in the midst.
And Jesus called with a loud voice and said: Father, baddach ephkid rouel, which is
interpreted: Into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having thus said he gave up the
ghost. And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying: This man
was righteous. And all the multitudes that had come to the sight, when they beheld what
was done smote their breasts and returned.

2 But the centurion reported unto the governor the things that had come to pass: and
when the governor and his wife heard, they were sore vexed, and neither ate nor drank
that day. And Pilate sent for the Jews and said unto them: Did ye see that which came to
pass? But they said: There was an eclipse of the sun after the accustomed sort.

3 And his acquaintance had stood afar off, and the women which came with him from
Galilee, beholding these things. But a certain man named Joseph, being a counsellor, of
the city of Arimathaea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of God this man went to
Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in a clean linen
cloth and laid it in a hewn sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid.

XII
1 Now when the Jews heard that Joseph had begged the body of Jesus, they sought for
him and for the twelve men which said that Jesus was not born of fornication, and for
Nicodemus and many others which had come forth before Pilate and declared his good
works. But all they hid themselves, and Nicodemus only was seen of them, for he was a
ruler of the Jews. And Nicodemus said unto them: How came ye into the synagogue? The
Jews say unto him: How didst thou come into the synagogue? for thou art confederate
with him, and his portion shall be with thee in the life to come. Nicodemus saith: Amen,
Amen. Likewise Joseph also came forth and said unto them: Why is it that ye are vexed
against me, for that I begged the body of Jesus? behold I have laid it in my new tomb,
having wrapped it in clean linen, and I rolled a stone over the door of the cave. And ye
have not dealt well with the just one, for ye repented not when ye had crucified him, but
ye also pierced him with a spear.

But the Jews took hold on Joseph and commanded him to be put in safeguard until the
first day of the week: and they said unto him: Know thou that the time alloweth us not to
do anything against thee, because the sabbath dawneth: but knew that thou shalt not
obtain burial, but we will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the heaven. Joseph saith unto
them: This is the word of Goliath the boastful which reproached the living God and the
holy David. For God said by the prophet: Vengeance is mine, and I will recompense,
saith the Lord. And now, lo, one that was uncircumcised, but circumcised in heart, took
water and washed his hands before the sun, saying: I am Innocent of the blood of this just
person: see ye to it. And ye answered Pilate and said: His blood be upon us and upon our
children. And now I fear lest the wrath of the Lord come upon you and upon your
children, as ye have said. But when the Jews heard these words they waxed bitter in soul,
and caught hold on Joseph and took him and shut him up in an house wherein was no
window, and guards were set at the door: and they sealed the door of the place where
Joseph was shut up.

2 And upon the sabbath day the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites
made an ordinance that all men should appear in the synagogue on the first day of the
week. And all the multitude rose up early and took council in the synagogue by what
death they should kill him. And when the council was set they commanded him to be
brought with great dishonour. And when they had opened the door they found him not.
And all the people were beside themselves and amazed, because they found the seals
closed, and Caiaphas had the key. And they durst not any more lay hands upon them that
had spoken in the behalf of Jesus before Pilate.

XIII

1 And while they yet sat in the synagogue and marvelled because of Joseph, there came
certain of the guard which the Jews had asked of Pilate to keep the sepulchre of Jesus lest
peradventure his disciples should come and steal him away. And they spake and declared
unto the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites that which had come to
pass: how that there was a great earthquake, and we saw an angel descend from heaven,
and he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the cave, and sat upon it. And he did
shine like snow and like lightning, and we were sore afraid and lay as dead men. And we
heard the voice of the angel speaking with the women which waited at the sepulchre,
saying: Fear ye not: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: he
is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly and say unto
his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and is in Galilee.

2 The Jews say: With what women spake he? They of the guard say: We know not who
they were. The Jews say: At what hour was it? They of the guard say: At midnight. The
Jews say: And wherefore did ye not take the women? They of the guard say: We were
become as dead me through fear, and we looked not to see the light of the day; how then
could we take them? The Jews say: As the Lord liveth, we believe you not. They of the
guard say unto the Jews: So many signs saw ye in that man, and ye believed not, how
then should ye believe us? verily ye sware rightly 'as the Lord liveth', for he liveth
indeed. Again they of the guard say: We have heard that ye shut up him that begged the
body of Jesus, and that ye scaled the door; and when ye had opened it ye found him not.
Give ye therefore Joseph and we will give you Jesus. The Jews say: Joseph is departed
unto his own city. They of the guard say unto the Jews: Jesus also is risen, as we have
heard of the angel, and he is in Galilee.

3 And when the Jews heard these words they were sore afraid, saying: Take heed lest this
report be heard and all men incline unto Jesus. And the Jews took counsel and laid down
much money and gave it to the soldiers, saying: Say ye: While we slept his disciples
came by night and stole him away. And if this come to the governor's hearing we will
persuade him and secure you. And they took the money and did as they were instructed.
[And this their saying was published abroad among all men. lat.]

XIV

1 Now a certain priest named Phinees and Addas a teacher and Aggaeus (Ogias Copt.,
Egias lat.) a Levite came down from Galilee unto Jerusalem and told the rulers of the
synagogue and the priests and the Levites, saying: We saw Jesus and his disciples sitting
upon the mountain which is called Mamilch (Mambre or Malech lat., Mabrech Copt.),
and he said unto his disciples: Go into all the world and preach unto every creature (the
whole creation): he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that disbelieveth
shall be condemned. [And these signs shall follow upon them that believe: in my name
they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents,
and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them: they shall lay hands upon the
sick and they shall recover.] And while Jesus yet spake unto his disciples we saw him
taken up into heaven.

2 The elders and the priests and Levites say: Give glory to the God of Israel and make
confession unto him: did ye indeed (or that ye did) hear and see those things which ye
have told us? They that told them say: As the Lord God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob liveth, we did hear these things and we saw him taken up into heaven. The
elders and the priests and the Levites say unto them: Came ye for this end, that ye might
tell us, or came ye to pay your vows unto God? And they say: To pay our vows unto God.
The elders and the chief priests and the Levites say unto them: If ye came to pay your
vows unto God, to what purpose is this idle tale which ye have babbled before all the
people? Phinees the priest and Addas the teacher and Aggaeus the Levite say unto the
rulers of the synagogue and priests and Levites: If these words which ye have spoken and
seen be sin, lo, we are before you: do unto us as seemeth good in your eyes. And they
took the book of the law and adjured them that they should no more tell any man these
words: and they gave them to eat and to drink, and put them out of the city: moreover
they gave them money, and three men to go with them, and they set them on their way as
far as Galilee, and they departed in peace.

3 Now when these men were departed into Galilee, the chief priests and the rulers of the
synagogue and the elders gathered together in the synagogue, and shut the gate, and
lamented with a great lamentation, saying: What is this sign which is come to pass in
Israel? But Amlas and Caiaphas said: Wherefore are ye troubled? why weep ye? Know
ye not that his disciples gave much gold unto them that kept the sepulchre and taught
them to say that an angel came down and rolled away the stone from the door of the
sepulchre? But the priests and the elders said: Be it so, that his disciples did steal away
his body; but how is his soul entered into his body, and how abideth he in Galilee? But
they could not answer these things, and hardly in the end said: It is not lawful for us to
believe the uncircumcised. [Lat. (and Copt., and Arm.): Ought we to believe the soldiers,
that an angel came down from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door of the
sepulchre? but in truth his disciples gave . . . sepulchre. Know ye not that it is not lawful
for Jews to believe any word of the uncircumcised, knowing that they who received much
good from us have spoken according as we taught them.]

XV

And Nicodemus rose up and stood before the council, saying: Ye say well. Know ye not,
O people of the Lord, the men that came down out of Galilee, that they fear God and are
men of substance, hating covetousness (a lie, Lat.), men of peace? And they have told
you with an oath, saying: We saw Jesus upon the mount Mamilch with his disciples and
that he taught them all things that ye heard of them, and, say they, we saw him taken up
into heaven. And no man asked them in what manner he was taken up. For like as the
book of the holy scriptures hath taught us that Elias also was taken up into heaven, and
Eliseus cried out with a loud voice, and Elias cast his hairy cloak upon Eliseus, and
Eliseus cast the cloak upon Jordan and passed over and went unto Jericho. And the sons
of the prophets met him and said: Eliseus, where is thy lord Elias? and he said that he was
taken up into heaven. And they said unto Eliseus: Hath not a spirit caught him up and cast
him upon one of the mountains? but let us take our servants with us and seek after him.
And they persuaded Eliseus and he went with them, and they sought him three days and
found him not: and they knew that he had been taken up. And now hearken unto me, and
let us send into all the coasts (al. mountains) of Israel and see whether the Christ were not
taken up by a spirit and cast upon one of the mountains. And this saying pleased them all:
and they sent into all the coasts (mountains, Lat.) and sought Jesus and found him not.
But they found Joseph in Arimathaea, and no man durst lay hands upon him.
2 And they told the elders and the priests and the Levites, saying: We went about
throughout all the coasts of Israel, and we found not Jesus; but Joseph we found in
Arimathaea. And when they heard of Joseph they rejoiced and gave glory to the God of
Israel. And the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites took counsel how
they should meet with Joseph, and they took a volume of paper and wrote unto Joseph
these words:

Peace be unto thee. We know that we have sinned against God and against thee, and we
have prayed unto the God of Israel that thou shouldest vouchsafe to come unto thy fathers
and unto thy children (Lat. But thou didst pray unto the God of Israel, and he delivered
thee out of our hands. Now therefore vouchsafe, &c.) for we are all troubled, because
when we opened the door we found thee not: and we know that we devised an evil
counsel against thee, but the Lord helped thee. And the Lord himself made of none effect
(scattered) our counsel against thee, O father Joseph, thou that art honourable among all
the people.

3 And they chose out of all Israel seven men that were friends of Joseph, whom Joseph
also himself accounted his friends, and the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the
Levites said unto them: See: if he receive our epistle and read it, know that he will come
with you unto us: but if he read it not, know that he is vexed with us, and salute ye him in
peace and return unto us. And they blessed the men and let them go.

And the men came unto Joseph and did him reverence, and said unto him: Peace be unto
thee. And he said: Peace be unto you and unto all the people of Israel. And they gave him
the book of the epistle, and Joseph received it and read it and embraced (or kissed) the
epistle and blessed God and said: Blessed be the Lord God, which hath redeemed Israel
from shedding innocent blood; and blessed be the Lord, which sent his angel and
sheltered me under his wings. (And he kissed them) and set a table before them, and they
did eat and drink and lay there.

4 And they rose up early and prayed: and Joseph saddled his she-ass and went with the
men, and they came unto the holy city, even Jerusalem. And all the people came to meet
Joseph and cried: Peace be to thine entering-in. And he said unto all the people: Peace be
unto you, and all the people kissed him. And the people prayed with Joseph, and they
were astonished at the sight of him.

And Nicodemus received him into his house and made a great feast, and called Annas
and Caiaphas and the elders and the priests and the Levites unto his house. And they
made merry eating and drinking with Joseph. And when they had sung an hymn (or
blessed God) every man went unto his house. But Joseph abode in the house of
Nicodemus.

5 And on the morrow, which was the preparation, the rulers of the synagogue and the
priests and the Levites rose up early and came to the house of Nicodemus, and
Nicodemus met them and said: Peace be unto you. And they said: Peace be unto thee and
to Joseph and unto all thy house and to all the house of Joseph. And he brought them into
his house. And the whole council was set, and Joseph sat between Annas and Caiaphas
and no man durst speak unto him a word. And Joseph said: Why is it that ye have called
me? And they beckoned unto Nicodemus that he should speak unto Joseph. And
Nicodemus opened his mouth and said unto Joseph: Father, thou knowest that the
reverend doctors and the priests and the Levites seek to learn a matter of thee. And
Joseph said: Inquire ye. And Annas and Caiaphas took the book of the law and adjured
Joseph saying: Give glory to the God of Israel and make confession unto him: [for Achar,
when he was adjured of the prophet Jesus(Joshua), foresware not himself but declared
unto him all things and hid not a word from him: thou therefore also hide not from us so
much as a word. And Joseph: I will not hide one word from you.] And they said unto
him: We were greatly vexed because thou didst beg the body of Jesus and wrappedst it in
a clean linen cloth and didst lay him in a tomb. And for this cause we put thee in
safeguard in an house wherein was no window, and we put keys and seals upon the doors,
and guards did keep the place wherein thou wast shut up. And on the first day of the
week we opened it and found thee not, and we were sore troubled, and amazement fell
upon all the people of the Lord until yesterday. Now, therefore, declare unto us what
befell thee.

6 And Joseph said: On the preparation day about the tenth hour ye did shut me up, and I
continued there the whole sabbath. And at midnight as I stood and prayed the house
wherein ye shut me up was taken up by the four corners, and I saw as it were a flashing
of light in mine eyes, and being filled with fear I fell to the earth. And one took me by the
hand and removed me from the place whereon I had fallen; and moisture of water was
shed on me from my head unto my feet, and an odour of ointment came about my
nostrils. And he wiped my face and kissed me and said unto me: Fear not, Joseph: open
thine eyes and see who it is that speaketh with thee. And I looked up and saw Jesus and I
trembled, and supposed that it was a spirit: and I said the commandments: and he said
them with me. And [as] ye are not ignorant that a spirit, if it meet any man and hear the
commandments, straightway fleeth. And when I perceived that he said them with me, I
said unto him: Rabbi Elias? And he said unto me: I am not Elias. And I said unto him:
Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me: I am Jesus, whose body thou didst beg of
Pilate, and didst clothe me in clean linen and cover my face with a napkin, and lay me in
thy new cave and roll a great stone upon the door of the cave. And I said to him that
spake with me: Show me the place where I laid thee. And he brought me and showed me
the place where I laid him, and the linen cloth lay therein, and the napkin that was upon
his face. And I knew that it was Jesus. And he took me by the hand and set me in the
midst of mine house, the doors being shut, and laid me upon my bed and said unto me:
Peace be unto thee. And he kissed me and said unto me: Until forty days be ended go not
out of thine house: for behold I go unto my brethren into Galilee.

XVI

1 And when the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites heard these words
of Joseph the became as dead men and fell to the ground, and they fasted until the ninth
hour. And Nicodemus with Joseph comforted Annas and Caiaphas and the priests and the
Levites, saying: Rise up and stand on your feet and taste bread and strengthen your souls,
for tomorrow is the sabbath of the Lord. And they rose up and prayed unto God and did
eat and drink, and departed every man to his house.

2 And on the sabbath the (al. our) teachers and the priests and Levites sat and questioned
one another and said: What is this wrath that is come upon us? for we know his father and
his mother. Levi the teacher saith: I know that his parents feared God and kept not back
their vows and paid tithes three times a year. And when Jesus was born, his parents
brought him up unto this place and gave sacrifices and burnt-offerings to God. And
[when] the great teacher Symeon took him into his arms and said: Now lettest thou thy
servant, Lord, depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast
prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy
people Israel. And Symeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother: I give thee good
tidings concerning this child. And Mary said: Good, my lord? And Symeon said to her :
Good. Behold, he is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign
spoken against: and a sword shall pierce through thine own heart also, that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.

3 They say unto Levi the teacher: How knowest thou these things? Levi saith unto them:
Know ye not that from him I did learn the law? The council say unto him: We would see
thy father. And they sent after his father, and asked of him, and he said to them: Why
believed ye not my son? the blessed and righteous Symeon, he did teach him the law. The
council saith: Rabbi Levi, is the word true which thou hast spoken? And he said: It is
true.

Then the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites said among themselves:
Come, let us send into Galilee unto the three men which came and told us of his teaching
and his taking-up, and let them tell us how they saw him taken up. And this word pleased
them all, and they sent the three men which before had gone with them into Galilee and
said to them: Say unto Rabbi Addas and Rabbi Phinees and Rabbi Aggaeus: peace be to
you and to all that are with you. Inasmuch as great questioning hath arisen in the council,
we have sent unto you to call you unto this holy place of Jerusalem.

4 And the men went into Galilee and found them sitting and meditating upon the law, and
saluted them in peace. And the men that were in Galilee said unto them that were come to
them: Peace be upon all Israel. And they said: Peace be unto you. Again they said unto
them: Wherefore are ye come? And they that were sent said: The council calleth you unto
the holy city Jerusalem. And when the men heard that they were bidden by the council,
they prayed to God and sat down to meat with the men and did eat and drink, and rose up
and came in peace unto Jerusalem.

5 And on the morrow the council was set in the synagogue, and they examined them,
saying: Did ye in very deed see Jesus sitting upon the mount Mamilch, as he taught his
eleven disciples, and saw ye him taken up? And the men answered them and said: Even
as we saw him taken up, even so did we tell it unto you.
6 Annas saith: Set them apart from one another, and let us see if their word agreeth. And
they set them apart one from another, and they call Addas first and say unto him: How
sawest thou Jesus taken up? Addas saith: While he yet sat upon the Mount Mamilch and
taught his disciples, we saw a cloud that overshadowed him and his disciples: and the
cloud carried him up into heaven, and his disciples lay (al. prayed, lying) on their faces
upon the earth. And they called Phinees the priest, and questioned him also, saying: How
sawest thou Jesus taken up? And he spake in like manner. And again they asked
Aggaeus, and he also spake in like manner. And the council said: It is contained in the
law of Moses: At the mouth of two or three shall every word be established.

Abuthem (Bouthem Gr., Abudem lat., Abuden, Abuthen Arm.,om. Copt.) the teacher
saith: It is written in the law: Enoch walked with God and is not, because God took him.
Jaeirus the teacher said: Also we have heard of the death of the holy Moses and have not
seen him; for it is written in the law of the Lord: And Moses died at the mouth of the
Lord, and no man knew of his sepulchre unto this day. And Rabbi Levi said: Wherefore
was it that Rabbi Symeon said when he saw Jesus: Behold, this child is set for the fall and
rising again of many in Israel and for a sign spoken against? And Rabbi Isaac said: It is
written in the law: Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall go before
thee to keep thee in every good way, for my name is named thereon.

7 Then said Annas and Caiaphas: Ye have well said those things which are written in the
law of Moses, that no man saw the death of Enoch, and no man hath named the death of
Moses. But Jesus spake before Pilate, and we know that we saw him receive buffets and
spittings upon his face, and that the soldiers put on him a crown of thorns and that he was
scourged and received condemnation from Pilate, and that he was crucified at the place of
a skull and two thieves with him, and that they gave him vinegar to drink with gall, and
that Longinus the soldier pierced his side with a spear, and that Joseph our honourable
father begged his body, and that, as he saith, he rose again, and that (lit. as) the three
teachers say: We saw him taken up into heaven, and that Rabbi Levi spake and testified
to the things which were spoken by Rabbi Symeon, and that he said: Behold this child is
set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign spoken against.

And all the teachers said unto all the people of the Lord: If this hath come to pass from
the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes, ye shall surely know, O house of Jacob, that it
is written: Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree. And another scripture teacheth:
The gods which made not the heaven and the earth shall perish.

And the priests and the Levites said one to another: If his memorial endure until the
Sommos (Copt. Soum) which is called Jobel (i. e. the Jubilee), know ye that he will
prevail for ever and raise up for himself a new people.

Then the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites admonished all Israel,
saying: Cursed is that man who shall worship that which man's hand hath made, and
cursed is the man who shall worship creatures beside the Creator. And all the people said:
Amen, Amen.
And all the people sang an hymn unto the Lord and said: Blessed be the Lord who hath
given rest unto the people of Israel according to all that he spake. There hath not one
word fallen to the ground of all his good saying which he spake unto his servant Moses.
The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers: let him not forsake us. And let
him not destroy us from turning our heart unto him, from walking in all his ways and
keeping his statutes and his judgements which he commanded our fathers. And the Lord
shall be King over all the earth in that day. And there shall be one Lord and his name one,
even the Lord our King: he shall save us.

There is none like unto thee, O Lord. Great art thou, O Lord, and great is thy name.

Heal us, O Lord, by thy power, and we shall be healed: save us, Lord, and we shall be
saved: for we are thy portion and thine inheritance.

And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, for the Lord hath
begun to make us to be his people.

And when they had all sung this hymn they departed every man to his house, glorifying
God. [For his is the glory, world without end. Amen.]

ACTS OF PILATE

PART II. THE DESCENT INTO HELL

This writing, or the nucleus of it, the story of the Descent into Hell was not originally part
of the Acts of Pilate. It is -apart from its setting- probably an older document. When it
was first attached to the Acts of Pilate is uncertain. The object of this prefatory note is to
say that we have the text in three forms, [however, only the Latin A text will be given.
For a complete listing of all three texts see M.R. James apocryphal New Testament].

.[Part I, cap. xvi, ends with words of the rulers of the synagogue, &c. All nations shall
serve him, and kings shall come from afar worshipping and magnifying him. Part II, cap.
i, runs on from this.

I (XVII)

1 And Joseph arose and said unto Annas and Caiaphas: Truly and of right do ye marvel
because ye have heard that Jesus hath been seen alive after death, and that he hath
ascended into heaven. Nevertheless it is more marvelous that he rose not alone from the
dead, but did raise up alive many other dead out of their sepulchres, and they have been
seen of many in Jerusalem. And now hearken unto me; for we all know the blessed
Simeon, the high priest which received the child Jesus in his hands in the temple. And
this Simeon had two sons, brothers in blood and we all were at their falling asleep and at
their burial. Go therefore and look upon their sepulchres: for they are open, because they
have risen, and behold they are in the city of Arimathaea dwelling together in prayer.
And indeed men hear them crying out, yet they speak with no man, but are silent as dead
men. But come, let us go unto them and with all honour and gentleness bring them unto
us, and if we adjure them, perchance they will tell us concerning the mystery of their
rising again.

2 When they heard these things, they all rejoiced. And Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus
and Joseph and Gamaliel went and found them not in their sepulchre, but they went unto
the city of Arimathaea, and found them there, kneeling on their knees and giving
themselves unto prayer. And they kissed them, and with all reverence and in the fear of
God they brought them to Jerusalem into the synagogue. And they shut the doors and
took the law of the Lord and put it into their hands, and adjured them by the God Adonai
and the God of Israel which spake unto our fathers by the prophets, saying: Believe ye
that it is Jesus which raised you from the dead? Tell us how ye have arisen from the dead.

3 And when Karinus and Leucius heard this adjuration, they trembled in their body and
groaned, being troubled in heart. And looking up together unto heaven they made the seal
of the cross with their fingers upon their tongues, and forthwith they spake both of them,
saying: Give us each a volume of paper, and let us write that which we have seen and
heard. And they gave them unto them, and each of them sat down and wrote, saying:

II (XVIII)

1 O Lord Jesu Christ, the life and resurrection of the dead (al. resurrection of the dead
and the life of the living), suffer us to speak of the mysteries of thy majesty which thou
didst perform after thy death upon the cross, inasmuch as we have been adjured by thy
Name. For thou didst command us thy servants to tell no man the secrets of thy divine
majesty which thou wroughtest in hell.

Now when we were set together with all our fathers in the deep, in obscurity of darkness,
on a sudden there came a golden heat of the sun and a purple and royal light shining upon
us. And immediately the father of the whole race of men, together with all the patriarchs
and prophets, rejoiced, saying: This light is the beginning (author) of everlasting light
which did promise to send unto us his co-eternal light. And Esaias cried out and said:
This is the light of the Father, even the Son of God, according as I prophesied when I
lived upon the earth: The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim beyond Jordan, of
Galilee of the Gentiles, the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them did the light shine. And
now hath it come and shone upon us that sit in death.

2 And as we all rejoiced in the light which shined upon us, there came unto us our father
Simeon, and he rejoicing said unto us: Glorify ye the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
for I received him in my hands in the temple when he was born a child, and being moved
of the Holy Ghost I made confession and said unto him: Now have mine eyes seen thy
salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the
Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. And when they heard these things, the
whole multitude of the saints rejoiced yet more.
Page 125

3 And after that there came one as it were a dweller in the wilderness, and he was
inquired of by all: Who art thou? And he answered them and said: I am John, the voice
and the prophet of the most High, which came before the face of his advent to prepare his
ways, to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, for the remission of their sins. And
when I saw him coming unto me, being moved of the Holy Ghost, I said: Behold the
Lamb of God, behold him that taketh away the sins of the world. And I baptized him in
the river of Jordan, and saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him in the likeness of a
dove, and heard a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased. And now have I come before his face, and come down to declare unto you
that he is at hand to visit us, even the day spring, the Son of God, coming from on high
unto us that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

III (XIX)

1 And when father Adam that was first created heard this, even that Jesus was baptized in
Jordan, he cried out to Seth his son, saying: Declare unto thy sons the patriarchs and the
prophets all that thou didst hear from Michael the archangel, when I sent thee unto the
gates of paradise that thou mightest entreat God to send thee his angel to give thee the oil
of the tree of mercy to anoint my body when I was sick. Then Seth drew near unto the
holy patriarchs and prophets, and said: When I, Seth, was praying at the gates of paradise,
behold Michael the angel of the Lord appeared unto me, saying: I am sent unto thee from
the Lord: it is I that am set over the body of man. And I say unto thee, Seth, vex not
thyself with tears, praying and entreating for the oil of the tree of mercy, that thou mayest
anoint thy father Adam for the pain of his body: for thou wilt not be able to receive it
save in the last days and times, save when five thousand and five hundred (al. 5,952)
years are accomplished: then shall the most beloved Son of God come upon the earth to
raise up the body of Adam and the bodies of the dead, and he shall come and be baptized
in Jordan. And when he is come forth of the water of Jordan, then shall he anoint with the
oil of mercy all that believe on him, and that oil of mercy shall be unto all generations of
them that shall be born of water and of the Holy Ghost, unto life eternal. Then shall the
most beloved Son of God, even Christ Jesus, come down upon the earth and shall bring in
our father Adam into paradise unto the tree of mercy.

And when they heard all these things of Seth, all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced with
a great rejoicing.

IV (XX)

1 And while all the saints were rejoicing, behold Satan the prince and chief of death said
unto Hell: Make thyself ready to receive Jesus who boasteth himself that he is the Son of
God, whereas he is a man that feareth death, and sayeth: My soul is sorrowful even unto
death. And he hath been much mine enemy, doing me great hurt, and many that I had
made blind, lame, dumb, leprous, and possessed he hath healed with a word: and some
whom I have brought unto thee dead, them hath he taken away from thee.
2 Hell answered and said unto Satan the prince: Who is he that is so mighty, if he be a
man that feareth death? for all the mighty ones of the earth are held in subjection by my
power, even they whom thou hast brought me subdued by thy power. If, then, thou art
mighty, what manner of man is this Jesus who, though he fear death, resisteth thy power?
If he be so mighty in his manhood, verily I say unto thee he is almighty in his god-head,
and no man can withstand his power. And when he saith that he feareth death, he would
ensnare thee, and woe shall be unto thee for everlasting ages. But Satan the prince of
Tartarus said: Why doubtest thou and fearest to receive this Jesus which is thine
adversary and mine? For I tempted him, and have stirred up mine ancient people of the
Jews with envy and wrath against him. I have sharpened a spear to thrust him through,
gall and vinegar have I mingled to give him to drink, and I have prepared a cross to
crucify him and nails to pierce him: and his death is nigh at hand, that I may bring him
unto thee to be subject unto thee and me.

3 Hell answered and said: Thou hast told me that it is he that hath taken away dead men
from me. For there be many which while they lived on the earth have taken dead men
from me, yet not by their own power but by prayer to God, and their almighty God hath
taken them from me. Who is this Jesus which by his own word without prayer hath drawn
dead men from me? Perchance it is he which by the word of his command did restore to
life Lazarus which was four days dead and stank and was corrupt, whom I held here dead.
Satan the prince of death answered and said: It is that same Jesus. When Hell heard that
he said unto him: I adjure thee by thy strength and mine own that thou bring him not unto
me. For at that time I, when I heard the command of his word, did quake and was
overwhelmed with fear, and all my ministries with me were troubled. Neither could we
keep Lazarus, but he like an eagle shaking himself leaped forth with all agility and
swiftness, and departed from us, and the earth also which held the dead body of Lazarus
straightway gave him up alive. Wherefore now I know that that man which was able to
do these things is a God strong in command and mighty in manhood, and that he is the
saviour of mankind. And if thou bring him unto me he will set free all that are here shut
up in the hard prison and bound in the chains of their sins that cannot be broken, and will
bring them unto the life of his god head for ever.

V (XXI)

1 And as Satan the prince, and Hell, spoke this together, suddenly there came a voice as
of thunder and a spiritual cry: Remove, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up, ye
everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. When Hell heard that he said unto
Satan the prince: Depart from me and go out of mine abode: if thou be a mighty man of
war, fight thou against the King of glory. But what hast thou to do with him? And Hell
cast Satan forth out of his dwelling. Then said Hell unto his wicked ministers: Shut ye the
hard gates of brass and put on them the bars of iron and withstand stoutly, lest we that
hold captivity be taken captive.

2 But when all the multitude of the saints heard it, they spake with a voice of rebuking
unto Hell: Open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. And David cried out,
saying: Did I not when I was alive upon earth, foretell unto you: Let them give thanks
unto the Lord, even his mercies and his wonders unto the children of men; who hath
broken the gates of brass and smitten the bars of iron in sunder? he hath taken them out of
the way of their iniquity. And thereafter in like manner Esaias said: Did not I when I was
alive upon earth foretell unto you: The dead shall arise, and they that are in the tombs
shall rise again, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew which cometh of
the Lord is their healing? And again I said: O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is
thy victory?

3 When they heard that of Esaias, all the saints said unto Hell: Open thy gates: now shalt
thou be overcome and weak and without strength. And there came a great voice as of
thunder, saying: Remove, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up ye doors of hell, and the
King of glory shall come in. And when Hell saw that they so cried out twice, he said, as if
he knew it not: Who is the King of glory? And David answered Hell and said: The words
of this cry do I know, for by his spirit I prophesied the same; and now I say unto thee that
which I said before: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, he is the
King of glory. And: The Lord looked down from heaven that he might hear the groanings
of them that are in fetters and deliver the children of them that have been slain. And now,
O thou most foul and stinking Hell, open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in.
And as David spake thus unto Hell, the Lord of majesty appeared in the form of a man
and lightened the eternal darkness and brake the bonds that could not be loosed: and the
succour of his everlasting might visited us that sat in the deep darkness of our
transgressions and in the shadow of death of our sins.

VI (XXII)

1 When Hell and death and their wicked ministers saw that, they were stricken with fear,
they and their cruel officers, at the sight of the brightness of so great light in their own
realm, seeing Christ of a sudden in their abode, and they cried out, saying: We are
overcome by thee. Who art thou that art sent by the Lord for our confusion? Who art thou
that without all damage of corruption, and with the signs (?) of thy majesty unblemished,
dost in wrath condemn our power? Who art thou that art so great and so small, both
humble and exalted, both soldier and commander, a marvelous warrior in the shape of a
bondsman, and a King of glory dead and living, whom the cross bare slain upon it? Thou
that didst lie dead in the sepulchre hast come down unto us living and at thy death all
creation quaked and all the stars were shaken and thou hast become free among the dead
and dost rout our legions. Who art thou that settest free the prisoners that are held bound
by original sin and restorest them into their former liberty? Who art thou that sheddest
thy divine and bright light upon them that were blinded with the darkness of their sins?
After the same manner all the legions of devils were stricken with like fear and cried out
all together in the terror of their confusion, saying: Whence art thou, Jesus, a man so
mighty and bright in majesty, so excellent without spot and clean from sin? For that
world of earth which hath been always subject unto us until now, and did pay tribute to
our profit, hath never sent unto us a dead man like thee, nor ever dispatched such a gift
unto Hell. Who then art thou that so fearlessly enterest our borders, and not only fearest
not our torments, but besides essayest to bear away all men out of our bonds?
Peradventure thou art that Jesus, of whom Satan our prince said that by thy death of the
cross thou shouldest receive the dominion of the whole world.

2 Then did the King of glory in his majesty trample upon death, and laid hold on Satan
the prince and delivered him unto the power of Hell, and drew Adam to him unto his own
brightness.

VII (XXIII)

Then Hell, receiving Satan the prince, with sore reproach said unto him: O prince of
perdition and chief of destruction, Beelzebub, the scorn of the angels and spitting of the
righteous why wouldest thou do this? Thou wouldest crucify the King of glory and at his
decease didst promise us great spoils of his death: like a fool thou knewest not what thou
didst. For behold now, this Jesus putteth to flight by the brightness of his majesty all the
darkness of death, and hath broken the strong depths of the prisons, and let out the
prisoners and loosed them that were bound. And all that were sighing in our torments do
rejoice against us, and at their prayers our dominions are vanquished and our realms
conquered, and now no nation of men feareth us any more. And beside this, the dead
which were never wont to be proud triumph over us, and the captives which never could
be joyful do threaten us. O prince Satan, father of all the wicked and ungodly and
renegades wherefore wouldest thou do this? They that from the beginning until now have
despaired of life and salvation-now is none of their wonted roarings heard, neither doth
any groan from them sound in our ears, nor is there any sign of tears upon the face of any
of them. O prince Satan, holder of the keys of hell, those thy riches which thou hadst
gained by the tree of transgression and the losing of paradise, thou hast lost by the tree of
the cross, and all thy gladness hath perished. When thou didst hang up Christ Jesus the
King of glory thou wroughtest against thyself and against me. Henceforth thou shalt
know what eternal torments and infinite pains thou art to suffer in my keeping for ever. O
prince Satan, author of death and head of all pride, thou oughtest first to have sought out
matter of evil in this Jesus: Wherefore didst thou adventure without cause to crucify him
unjustly against whom thou foundest no blame, and to bring into our realm the innocent
and righteous one, and to lose the guilty and the ungodly and unrighteous of the whole
world? And when Hell had spoken thus unto Satan the prince, then said the King of glory
unto Hell: Satan the prince shall be in thy power unto all ages in the stead of Adam and
his children, even those that are my righteous ones.

VIII (XXIV)

1 And the Lord stretching forth his hand, said: Come unto me, all ye my saints which
bear mine image and my likeness. Ye that by the tree and the devil and death were
condemned, behold now the devil and death condemned by the tree. And forthwith all the
saints were gathered in one under the hand of the Lord. And the Lord holding the right
hand of Adam, said unto him: Peace be unto thee with all thy children that are my
righteous ones. But Adam, casting himself at the knees of the Lord entreated him with
tears and beseechings, and said with a loud voice: I will magnify thee, O Lord, for thou
hast set me up and not made my foes to triumph over me: O Lord my God I cried unto
thee and thou hast healed me; Lord, thou hast brought my soul out of hell, thou hast
delivered me from them that go down to the pit. Sing praises unto the Lord all ye saints
of his, and give thanks unto him for the remembrance of his holiness. For there is wrath
in his indignation and life is in his good pleasure. In like manner all the saints of God
kneeled and cast themselves at the feet of the Lord, saying with one accord: Thou art
come, O redeemer of the world: that which thou didst foretell by the law and by thy
prophets, that hast thou accomplished in deed. Thou hast redeemed the living by thy
cross, and by the death of the cross thou hast come down unto us, that thou mightest save
us out of hell and death through thy majesty. O Lord, like as thou hast set the name of thy
glory in the heavens and set up thy cross for a token of redemption upon the earth, so,
Lord, set thou up the sign of the victory of thy cross in hell, that death may have no more
dominion.

2 And the Lord stretched forth his hand and made the sign of the cross over Adam and
over all his saints, and he took the right hand of Adam and went up out of hell, and all the
saints followed him. Then did holy David cry aloud and say: Sing unto the Lord a new
song, for he hath done marvelous things. His right hand hath wrought salvation for him
and his holy arm. The Lord hath made known his saving health, before the face of all
nations hath he revealed his righteousness. And the whole multitude of the saints
answered, saying: Such honour have all his saints. Amen, Alleluia.

3 And thereafter Habacuc the prophet cried out and said: Thou wentest forth for the
salvation of thy people to set free thy chosen. And all the saints answered, saying:
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord and hath showed us
light. Amen, Alleluia. Likewise after that the prophet Micheas also cried, saying: What
God is like thee, O Lord, taking away iniquity and removing sins? and now thou
withholdest thy wrath for a testimony that thou art merciful of free will, and thou dost
turn away and have mercy on us, thou forgivest all our iniquities and hast sunk all our
sins in the depths of the sea, as thou swarest unto our fathers in the days of old. And all
the saints answered, saying: This is our God for ever and ever, he shall be our guide,
world without end. Amen, Alleluia. And so spake all the prophets, making mention of
holy words out of their praises, and all the saints followed the Lord, crying Amen,
Alleluia.

IX (XXV)

But the Lord holding the hand of Adam delivered him unto Michael the archangel, and all
the saints followed Michael the archangel, and he brought them all into the glory and
beauty (grace) of paradise. And there met with them two men, ancients of days, and when
they were asked of the saints: Who are ye that have not yet been dead in hell with us and
are set in paradise in the body? then one of them answering, said: I am Enoch which was
translated hither by the word of the Lord, and this that is with me is Elias the Thesbite
which was taken up in a chariot of fire: and up to this day we have not tasted death, but
we are received unto the coming of Antichrist to fight against him with signs and
wonders of God, and to be slain of him in Jerusalem, and after three days and a half to be
taken up again alive on the clouds.
X (XXVI)

And as Enoch and Elias spake thus with the saints, behold there came another man of vile
habit, bearing upon his shoulders the sign of the cross; whom when they beheld, all the
saints said unto him: Who art thou? for thine appearance is as of a robber; and wherefore
is it that thou bearest a sign upon thy shoulders? And he answered them and said: Ye
have rightly said: for I was a robber, doing all manner of evil upon the earth. And the
Jews crucified me with Jesus, and I beheld the wonders in the creation which came to
pass through the cross of Jesus when he was crucified, and I believed that he was the
maker of all creatures and the almighty king, and I besought him, saying: Remember me,
Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. And forthwith he received my prayer, and
said unto me: Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise: and he
gave me the sign of the cross, saying: Bear this and go unto paradise, and if the angel that
keepeth paradise suffer thee not to enter in, show him the sign of the cross; and thou shalt
say unto him: Jesus Christ the Son of God who now is crucified hath sent me. And when
I had so done, I spake all these things unto the angel that keepeth paradise; and when he
heard this of me, forthwith he opened the door and brought me in and set me at the right
hand of paradise, saying: Lo now, tarry a little, and Adam the father of all mankind will
enter in with all his children that are holy and righteous, after the triumph and glory of the
ascending up of Christ the Lord that is crucified. When they heard all these words of the
robber, all the holy patriarchs and prophets said with one voice: Blessed be the Lord
Almighty, the Father of eternal good things, the Father of mercies, thou that hast given
such grace unto thy sinners and hast brought them again into the beauty of paradise and
into thy good pastures: for this is the most holy life of the spirit. Amen, Amen.

XI (XXVII)

These are the divine and holy mysteries which we saw and heard, even I, Karinus, and
Leucius: but we were not suffered to relate further the rest of the mysteries of God,
according as Michael the archangel strictly charged us, saying: Ye shall go with your
brethren unto Jerusalem and remain in prayer, crying out and glorifying the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath raised you from the dead together with him: and ye
shall not be speaking with any man, but sit as dumb men, until the hour come when the
Lord himself suffereth you to declare the mysteries of his god head. But unto us Michael
the archangel gave commandment that we should go over Jordan unto a place rich and
fertile, where are many which rose again together with us for a testimony of the
resurrection of Christ the Lord. For three days only were allowed unto us who rose from
the dead, to keep the passover of the Lord in Jerusalem with our kindred (parents) that are
living for a testimony of the resurrection of Christ the Lord: and we were baptized in the
holy river of Jordan and received white robes, every one of us. And after the three days,
when we had kept the passover of the Lord, all they were caught up in the clouds which
had risen again with us, and were taken over Jordan and were no more seen of any man.
But unto us it was said that we should remain in the city of Arimathaea and continue in
prayer.
These be all things which the Lord bade us declare unto you: give praise and
thanksgiving (confession) unto him, and repent that he may have mercy upon you. Peace
be unto you from the same Lord Jesus Christ which is the Saviour of us all. Amen.

And when they had finished writing all things in the several volumes of paper they arose;
and Karinus gave that which he had written into the hands of Annas and Caiaphas and
Gamaliel; likewise Leucius gave that which he had written into the hands of Nicodemus
and Joseph. And suddenly they were transfigured and became white exceedingly and
were no more seen. But their writings were found to be the same (lit. equal), neither more
nor less by one letter.

And when all the synagogue of the Jews heard all these marvelous sayings of Karinus
and Leucius, they said one to another: Of a truth all these things were wrought by the
Lord, and blessed be the Lord, world without end, Amen. And they went out all of them
in great trouble of mind, smiting their breasts with fear and trembling, and departed every
man unto his own home.

And all these things which were spoken by the Jews in their synagogue, did Joseph and
Nicodemus forthwith declare unto the governor. And Pilate himself wrote all the things
that were done and said concerning Jesus by the Jews, and laid up all the words in the
public books of his judgement hall (praetorium).

XII (XXVIII)

This chapter is not found in the majority of copies.

After these things Pilate entered into the temple of the Jews and gathered together all the
chief of the priests, and the teachers (grammaticos) and scribes and doctors of the law,
and went in with them into the holy place of the temple and commanded all the doors to
be shut, and said unto them: We have heard that ye have in this temple a certain great
Bible; wherefore I ask you that it be presented before us. And when that great Bible
adorned with gold and precious jewels was brought by four ministers, Pilate said to them
all: I adjure you by the God of your fathers which commanded you to build this temple in
the place of his sanctuary, that ye hide not the truth from me. Ye know all the things that
are written in this Bible; but tell me now if ye have found in the scriptures that this Jesus
whom ye have crucified is the Son of God which should come for the salvation of
mankind, and in what year of the times he must come. Declare unto me whether ye
crucified him in ignorance or knowingly.

And Annas and Caiaphas when they were thus adjured commanded all the rest that were
will them to go out of the temple; and they themselves shut all the doors of the temple
and of the sanctuary, and said unto Pilate: Thou hast adjured us, O excellent judge, by the
building of this temple to make manifest unto thee the truth and reason (or a true
account). After that we had crucified Jesus, knowing not that he was the Son of God, but
supposing that by some chance he did his wondrous works, we made a great assembly
(synagogue) in this temple; and as we conferred one with another concerning the signs of
the mighty works which Jesus had done, we found many witnesses of our own nation
who said that they had seen Jesus alive after his passion, and that he was passed into the
height of the heaven. Moreover, we saw two witnesses whom Jesus raised from the dead,
who declared unto us many marvelous things which Jesus did among the dead, which
things we have in writing in our hands. Now our custom is that every year before our
assembly we open this holy Bible and inquire the testimony of God. And we have found
in the first book of the Seventy how that Michael the angel spake unto the third son of
Adam the first man concerning the five thousand and five hundred years, wherein should
come the most beloved Son of God, even Christ: and furthermore we have thought that
peradventure this same was the God of Israel which said unto Moses: Make thee an ark of
the covenant in length two cubits and a half, and in breadth one cubit and a half, and in
height one cubit and a half. For by those five cubits and a half we have understood and
known the fashion of the ark of the old covenant, for that in five thousand and a half
thousand years Jesus Christ should come in the ark of his body: and we have found that
he is the God of Israel, even the Son of God. For after his passion, we the chief of the
priests, because we marvelled at the signs which came to pass on his account did open the
Bible, and searched out all the generations unto the generation of Joseph, and Mary the
mother of Christ, taking her to be the seed of David: and we found that from the day
when God made the heaven and the earth and the first man, from that time unto the Flood
are 2,212 years: and from the Flood unto the building of the tower 531 years: and from
the building of the tower unto Abraham 606 years: and from Abraham unto the coming of
the children of Israel out of Egypt 470 years: and from the going of the children of Israel
out of Egypt unto the building of the temple 511 years: and from the building of the
temple unto the destruction of the same temple 464 years: so far found we in the Bible of
Esdras: and inquiring from the burning of the temple unto the coming of Christ and his
birth we found it to be 636 years, which together were five thousand and five hundred
years like as we found it written in the Bible that Michael the archangel declared before
unto Seth the third son of Adam, that after five thousand and a half thousand years Christ
the Son of God hath (? should) come. Hitherto have we told no man, lest there should be
a schism in our synagogues; and now, O excellent judge, thou hast adjured us by this holy
Bible of the testimonies of God, and we do declare it unto thee: and we also have adjured
thee by thy life and health that thou declare not these words unto any man in Jerusalem.

XIII (XXIX)

And Pilate, when he heard these words of Annas and Caiaphas, laid them all up amongst
the acts of the Lord and Saviour in the public books of his judgement hall, and wrote a
letter unto Claudius the king of the city of Rome, saying:

[The following Epistle or Report of Pilate is inserted in Greek into the late Acts of Peter
and Paul (§ 40) and the Pseudo-Marcellus Passion of Peter and Paul (§ 19). We thus have
it in Greek and Latin, and the Greek is used here as the basis of the version.]

Pontius Pilate unto Claudius, greeting.

There befell of late a matter which I myself brought to light (or made trial of): for the
Jews through envy have punished themselves and their posterity with fearful judgements
of their own fault; for whereas their fathers had promises (al. had announced unto them)
that their God would send them out of heaven his holy one who should of right be called
their king, and did promise that he would send him upon earth by a virgin; he, then (or
this God of the Hebrews, then), came when I was governor of Judaea, and they beheld
him enlightening the blind, cleansing lepers, healing the palsied, driving devils out of
men, raising the dead, rebuking the winds, walking upon the waves of the sea dry-shod,
and doing many other wonders, and all the people of the Jews calling him the Son of
God: the chief priests therefore, moved with envy against him, took him and delivered
him unto me and brought against him one false accusation after another, saying that he
was a sorcerer and did things contrary to their law.

But I, believing that these things were so, having scourged him, delivered him unto their
will: and they crucified him, and when he was buried they set guards upon him. But while
my soldiers watched him he rose again on the third day: yet so much was the malice of
the Jews kindled that they gave money to the soldiers, saying: Say ye that his disciples
stole away his body. But they, though they took the money, were not able to keep silence
concerning that which had come to pass, for they also have testified that they saw him
arisen and that they received money from the Jews. And these things have I reported for
this cause, lest some other should lie unto thee (lat. lest any lie otherwise) and thou
shouldest deem right to believe the false tales of the Jews.

Scanned and Edited by

Joshua Williams
Northwest Nazarene College, 1995

Go to the Acts of Pilate web page.

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